“I am going to leave because I need to learn American standards!”
I cannot understand why. When I ask detailers, their reasoning seems circular:
- “because I want American Standards sir”.
- Others may articulate the following response: “American Standards give more opportunity”. More opportunity for what? I would understand the “opportunity” argument if you did not already have a job, but when you have a job, and can get other jobs too, it is a very confusing!?
- Perhaps they think that learning Australian standards is a death knell for their careers? Perhaps they feel trapped?
For anyone who is feeling afraid or scared about Australian Standards and who wants “American Standards” as if it is a golden ticket – consider the following post:
The “more opportunity” argument has it’s pitfalls:
(A) More opportunity also means more competition.
- Let us take the medical profession as an example. You can be a general practitioner (more opportunity) or you can become a heart surgeon (less opportunity). But remember: more opportunity also means more competition with other service providers i.e. detailers. GP doctors earn much less than heart surgeons. Why? They are less specialised. They have “more opportunity” but less money. Heart surgeons have “less opportunity” but they make more money.
- Rather than asking if there is “more opportunity” you should ask: “how much money can I make using American Standards” vs “Australian Standards”?
(B) Everyone in Tek1 who has left – has left for very big increments and they know ZERO American standards.
- If you are going to leave consider: will you get the same level of training in your new firm? Remember, it costs a lot of money to train: we have the best TLs in the world training you. We put in a lot of money to train you.
- I would also encourage you to learn as much as you can while you are here, because the more you learn, the more you will earn – you will be promoted very quickly if you show that you have learned quickly. We are different from other firms because we want to promote you up the ladder as fast as possible.
- HR people and managers in other firms will be incentivised to pay you as little as possible. “Do you know AISC?” You don’t know? Ok bye. “Please start as a fresher,” they will say. I wouldn’t listen to them very closely. HR recruiters as a crude generalisation know very little, and managers who do know, will want you to join with them cheaply, so they can pay you lower wages, while taking advantage of your existing Tek1 knowledge.
- How much are our senior TLs earning in EB and bonuses? How much did anyone who has left, leave for? Ask them: and you will see that if you want to leave, then you can leave at any time and for large amounts, because you have been operating under the Tek1 brand.
(C) If you’re going to leave, then leave for big increments.
Otherwise you are taking on a risk without a commensurate gain?
(D) Once you learn Australian standards then you American standards are very easy.
Australian Standards are much harder to master than American ones. If you master Australian standards – then you will easily handle American Standards. But if you have not even mastered Australian standards, then you will likely be departing here knowing little, to another domain where you not required to be as sharp.
There are differences between the standards but not a lot.
But if you have only started with Australian standards, and if you haven’t even learned that properly: then you have learned neither Australian, nor American. You have essentially learned nothing.
(D) You can learn the AISC standards WHILE YOU ARE HERE and then go.
Then you can say: “yes I know American standards”.
(E) You can earn Good Money Catering to the Australian Market
People learn American standards not because it is fun but because they will earn a wage. You are earning a wage here. Becoming an Australian specialist is like becoming a heart surgeon: there will always be plenty of demand, but it is very hard to master. Smaller market, but a niche market. Still money to be made. No doctor in Australia is complaining: “but I don’t have American accreditation”. This market is large enough for them.
(F) Lost Opportunity
If you leave now: you will lose out on: (i) EBs, and (ii) Bonuses (iii) you will get less gratuity if you work here for only 1 year vs 10 years, and (iv) and the opportunities which we are working towards creating, for our staff.
I cannot promise anything, but we are working on some exciting things. In the past, people who left missed out on EBs, bonuses. You may miss out, in the future, if things are successful. Because now you are inside at the ground-floor. Because once you leave, unfortunately, I cannot take you back. Many of our former staff have learned the hard way.
(F) But they want AISC!???
- Why do they insist that you have x years experience + AISC? It’s because a lot of job applicants are actually liars – it is very difficult for them to tell you apart – with your Tek1 knowledge + training – from everyone else. As a result, they don’t want to take risks: that’s why they demand such high (and absurd) requirements.
- They don’t know any better: managers and HR people, who don’t know, simply say: “I want AISC experience”. But anyone who knows steel detailing knows that learning a new standard, after you already know existing ones – is very easy. So either they: don’t know, or are low-balling you (to get you cheaply).
(G) Don’t forget why you are working?
Presumably, you are working for money. If you get paid well, by implementing Australian standards – who cares! Looking for “opportunity” only makes sense if you have no job. But if you have a job, why would you go from a well paid role, to a lesser paid one, for “more opportunity”?
